Skeetchestn First Nation is moving forward with a new child-care facility near Savona, British Columbia, that is planned to provide 81 licensed spaces. The project is part of British Columbia’s 2025-26 Early Learning and Child Care Infrastructure Fund and is designed to provide Indigenous-led care incorporating traditional teachings, language preservation and Indigenous art. Provincial documents confirm $6.4 million in infrastructure funding for the birth-to-five portion of the project, while the supplied $8-million total project figure could not be independently confirmed from the primary sources reviewed. Government of British Columbia
Introduction
🏗️ Skeetchestn First Nation is developing a new child-care centre near Savona, B.C., with 81 planned spaces, expanding early-learning capacity for children and families in the community.
The project was selected for support through British Columbia’s 2025-26 Early Learning and Child Care Infrastructure Fund, a provincial program supporting new Indigenous-led child-care spaces in rural and remote communities. Provincial documents identify Skeetchestn First Nation as the project proponent and list 81 planned child-care spaces.
The facility is planned for reserve lands in Secwépemc territory, adjacent to Skeetchestn Community School. The province says the centre will be operated by the Nation, with programming emphasizing traditional teachings, language preservation and Indigenous art.
The development is significant not only because of the number of spaces being created, but because the project is designed around the community’s cultural and educational priorities.
One important clarification is needed regarding the headline’s $8-million figure. The primary provincial documents reviewed confirm $6.4 million in funding for the portion serving children aged birth to five, but they do not establish an $8-million total project cost. The $8-million figure should therefore be treated as reported in the supplied headline unless the project proponents provide a separate confirmed figure.
What Happened?
The B.C. government announced funding for the Skeetchestn project on March 24, 2025, as part of a province-wide investment in new child-care spaces. The announcement included projects supported through the 2025-26 Early Learning and Child Care Infrastructure Fund. BC Gov News
For Skeetchestn First Nation, the project is identified as Knucwentwecw, with 81 planned spaces.
The provincial infrastructure plan provides a more detailed breakdown of those spaces:
- 41 spaces are intended for children from birth to age five.
- Within those 41 spaces, 24 are for infants and toddlers.
- 17 are for children aged 30 months to school age.
- A further 40 school-age spaces are planned.
- The province says the additional 40 school-age spaces will be funded by British Columbia.
The facility is intended to be a permanent modular child-care building located beside Skeetchestn Community School.
That location is important because it places early learning close to an existing educational institution, potentially creating a more connected environment for children and families.
Background: Skeetchestn and the Community
Skeetchestn First Nation is a Secwépemc community located near Savona in British Columbia.
The community has long identified education and social development as important parts of its efforts toward greater self-reliance. A Skeetchestn community plan identifies education as a key component of the Nation’s development strategy. Skeetchestn Indian Band
The Skeetchestn Community School opened in 1996, and the new child-care development is planned next to that school. The proximity could help create a more connected early-learning and school environment within the community. stkemlups.ca
Child-care services also have a particular importance in smaller and rural communities.
For families living outside major urban centres, the availability of licensed child care can affect parents’ ability to work, study and participate in community life.
The B.C. government’s broader infrastructure program specifically identifies Indigenous-led child-care spaces in rural and remote areas as an area for investment.
A Child-Care Centre Designed Around Indigenous Culture
One of the most notable aspects of the Skeetchestn project is its planned cultural focus.
The B.C. infrastructure plan says programming at the centre will emphasize:
- traditional teachings;
- language preservation;
- Indigenous art; and
- connection to cultural identity.
That means the facility is being planned not simply as a place where children are supervised while parents work.
The stated objective is to create an early-learning environment connected to the community’s culture.
For Indigenous communities, culturally grounded early childhood programs can provide opportunities for children to encounter language, traditions, stories and artistic practices as part of everyday learning.
The province’s project description specifically says the centre is intended to foster a deep connection with cultural identity.
Building for the Local Environment
The project also includes several technical features designed for the local environmental conditions.
According to the B.C. government’s infrastructure plan, the building is being designed with:
- natural ventilation;
- a high-performance building envelope;
- energy modelling;
- envelope inspections during construction;
- non-combustible metal cladding;
- a fire-retardant roof membrane;
- capacity for upgraded air filtration; and
- HEPA filters for indoor air circulation during periods of poor air quality.
These features are particularly relevant in a region where wildfire smoke and wildfire risk can affect communities.
The project also includes a connection to the community water system, which the province says will help address drought concerns. Site work is expected to include erosion control, leveling and construction of retaining walls.
The infrastructure therefore combines child-care capacity with measures intended to make the facility resilient to local environmental conditions.
What Officials and Organizations Said
The strongest publicly available information about the project comes from the B.C. Ministry of Education and Child Care’s March 2025 announcement and its 2025-26 infrastructure action plan.
The province described the infrastructure funding as part of a broader effort to create additional licensed child-care spaces, particularly through Indigenous-led projects in rural and remote communities.
The March 2025 provincial announcement said more than $62 million was being invested through accelerated space-creation programs to create more than 750 new licensed child-care spaces across B.C.
The province also said that, since 2018, the federal and provincial governments had invested nearly $8 billion through ChildCareBC, funding more than 40,000 new child-care spaces, with more than 23,000 open at the time of that announcement.
Those province-wide numbers provide context for why projects such as Skeetchestn’s are being funded.
However, the provincial announcement does not provide a detailed statement from Skeetchestn First Nation about the groundbreaking itself.
For that reason, claims about specific community reactions, construction timelines or comments by individual Skeetchestn officials should not be presented as confirmed unless supported by a direct statement from the Nation or another reliable source.
Why This Matters
The Skeetchestn child-care centre matters for several reasons.
More licensed spaces
The most direct benefit is capacity.
The project is expected to provide 81 spaces, including places for infants, toddlers, preschool-age children and school-age children.
Infant and toddler spaces can be particularly important because younger children require specialized care and staffing arrangements.
The project therefore addresses multiple age groups rather than focusing only on preschool-aged children.
Support for families
Accessible child care can help parents balance employment, education and family responsibilities.
The B.C. government has identified child care as part of its broader strategy to support families and participation in the workforce.
For a smaller community, adding dozens of licensed spaces can represent a substantial expansion of local capacity.
Cultural continuity
The project’s cultural programming is another major element.
Traditional teachings, language preservation and Indigenous art are specifically included in the provincial project description. Government of British Columbia
This means the project is being designed around the community’s cultural priorities rather than simply replicating a generic child-care model.
Regional infrastructure
The centre is also part of a broader effort to expand early-learning infrastructure outside major urban centres.
B.C.’s 2025-26 infrastructure plan identifies 33 new Indigenous-led operational licensed spaces under development for children aged 0-5 in rural and remote areas across the relevant program indicator, with Skeetchestn among the projects supported.
How the Project Fits Into B.C.’s Child-Care Expansion
The Skeetchestn development is one of several Indigenous-led child-care projects funded by the province.
The March 2025 announcement lists:
- Nawican Child Care Centre in Dawson Creek — 44 spaces;
- Chawathil Child Care Centre in Hope — 48 spaces;
- a Kamloops Aboriginal Friendship Society project — 33 spaces;
- Skeetchestn First Nation’s Knucwentwecw — 81 spaces; and
- Sik-E-Dakh Daxyget Daycare — 37 spaces.
Together, these projects demonstrate that Indigenous-led child care is one component of the province’s wider approach to expanding licensed spaces.
For Skeetchestn, the project has an additional local dimension because the centre is planned beside the community school and incorporates cultural education into its programming.
$8 Million Question
The supplied news title describes the project as an “$8M child-care centre.”
However, a review of the primary B.C. government sources produces a more precise picture.
The province’s infrastructure plan identifies $6.4 million in funding for the 41 spaces serving children from birth to age five. It separately says that the additional 40 school-age spaces will be funded by the province. Government of British Columbia
The documents reviewed do not clearly state that the entire construction project has a total cost of exactly $8 million.
That distinction is important for accurate reporting.
The project may have an overall cost reported elsewhere by the Nation, project partners or local media, but without a primary source confirming that amount, it is safer to describe the $8-million figure as reported in the supplied headline rather than as independently verified project cost.
The confirmed figure from the provincial documentation is the $6.4 million allocated to the birth-to-five component.
What Happens Next?
The project is moving through development and construction-related stages.
The provincial infrastructure plan says funding will support:
- design and engineering;
- site preparation;
- modular construction;
- foundation work;
- plumbing;
- HVAC;
- electrical installation;
- outdoor play-area construction; and
- thermal and moisture protection.
Because the project involves a new facility, additional site requirements include leveling, erosion control, septic infrastructure, retaining walls and connection to the community water supply.
A confirmed public opening date was not identified in the primary sources reviewed.
That means it would be premature to state when children will begin attending the new centre unless Skeetchestn First Nation or the relevant government authority announces a firm date.
What the Project Could Mean for Families
For families in and around Skeetchestn, the most tangible change will be additional local child-care capacity.
Instead of relying entirely on existing spaces or travelling farther for care, families could eventually have access to a larger local facility.
The mix of spaces also means the centre is designed to serve children across several developmental stages.
For the community itself, the cultural programming could make the centre more than an early-learning facility.
The province’s description specifically connects the project with traditional teachings, language preservation and Indigenous art.
That combination of child care, education and cultural connection is central to what makes the project distinctive.
Bigger Picture
The Skeetchestn child-care centre comes at a time when British Columbia is continuing to expand licensed child-care capacity and invest in Indigenous-led early-learning infrastructure.
The province’s March 2025 announcement highlighted more than $62 million in funding for more than 750 new licensed spaces through accelerated programs. It also described a broader federal-provincial commitment to expanding affordable child care.
For Skeetchestn First Nation, however, the project has a more specific purpose.
It is intended to provide 81 spaces while incorporating cultural education and language preservation into children’s early experiences.
The project also demonstrates how child-care infrastructure can be designed around local conditions. Features such as wildfire-resistant materials, enhanced air filtration, water-system connections and a high-performance building envelope are intended to address environmental challenges identified in the project’s planning documents.
The next major milestone will be completion of construction and eventual licensing and operation of the centre.
Until an official opening date is announced, the confirmed story is that Skeetchestn First Nation has secured provincial infrastructure support for a new 81-space child-care facility designed around both early learning and Secwépemc cultural priorities.
FAQs
What is the Skeetchestn child-care centre?
The Skeetchestn child-care centre is a planned Indigenous-led child-care facility on Skeetchestn First Nation lands near Savona, B.C. It is planned to provide 81 licensed spaces and will be located beside Skeetchestn Community School.
How many children will the Skeetchestn centre accommodate?
The planned facility will have 81 child-care spaces. Forty-one are intended for children from birth to age five, while another 40 spaces will serve school-age children.
How many infant and toddler spaces are planned?
The project includes 24 spaces for infants and toddlers. Another 17 spaces are intended for children aged 30 months to school age.
Where is the new Skeetchestn child-care centre being built?
The facility is planned on Skeetchestn First Nation reserve lands near Savona, British Columbia, adjacent to Skeetchestn Community School.
What will children learn at the centre?
The provincial project description says programming will emphasize traditional teachings, language preservation and Indigenous art, with the goal of strengthening children’s connection to cultural identity.
How much government funding is the project receiving?
The B.C. infrastructure plan identifies $6.4 million in funding for the birth-to-five portion of the project. It also says the additional 40 school-age spaces will be funded by the province. The primary documents reviewed do not independently confirm the $8-million total project cost stated in the supplied headline.
When will the Skeetchestn child-care centre open?
A confirmed public opening date was not found in the primary sources reviewed. Construction and infrastructure work are part of the funded project, but an opening date should not be assumed until officially announced.
Who is funding the Skeetchestn child-care project?
The project is supported through British Columbia’s 2025-26 Early Learning and Child Care Infrastructure Fund, with the provincial infrastructure plan identifying Skeetchestn First Nation as the project proponent.
Why is this project important?
The centre will add 81 planned spaces, including infant and toddler care, while providing programming connected to Indigenous language, traditions and art. It is also part of B.C.’s broader effort to expand Indigenous-led child care in rural and remote communities.
